Car-coupling



(No Model.)

C. A. MODOUGALL. CAR GOUPLING.

No. 401,046. Patented Apr. 9, 1889.

yUNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

cI-IARLEs A MCDOUGALL, oF ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 401,046, dated April 9, 1889. Application filed October 20, 1888. Serial No. 288,704. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. MCDOU- GALL, of Alameda, Alameda county, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Car-Couplings; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an improved automatic coupling and uncoupling device for railway-cars.

It consists of a bumper and draw-head, having leaves or gates within the cavity or opening of the draw-head, these leaves opening automatically to receive the head of the link and being opened by suitable mechanism to release the same when desired.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure l is a view `showing my improved coupling attached to the end of the ear with the link in place and the leaves closed against the head. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section showii' g the leaves pressed open by the cam F.

A is the bumper and draw-head, connected with the car in the usual or any suitable manner, with springs to relieve the shock of the meeting of the cars, and having its end chambered to admit the connecting link. Within this chamber are two vertically-dislposed leaves or plates, B, with their edges hinged so as to stand nearly or quite in line with the sides of the opening through which the connecting-link enters. The inner edges of these plates B are pressed toward each other by springs C, so that they approach each other and leave but a narrow space between them.

rlhe draw-bar D is of the form known as the spear-head, having the head E, as shown. Vhen two cars come together, the draw-bar being fixed in one of the couplingheads, the other ends, entering between the edges of the swinging gates B,will force them apart against the pressure of the springs until the head has passed them, when they will again close together about the shank D and prevent the head E from being withdrawn.

The pressure caused by the drawing cars is transferred from the head E through the plates extending sidewise to the inside of the draw-hrai in line with the fulcrum or pivotpins. In order to release the coupling-bar when desired, a cam, F, is iixed upon a short shaft, G, which passes through the top of the draw-head, the cam being fixed to its lower end and in the upper part of the chamber within the draw-head. This cam extends above the coupling-bar and between the adjacent edges of the leaves or gates B. From the upper end of the shaft to which the cam is fixed the arm I-I extends rearwardly, this arm being slotted, as shown at J.

K is a vertical shaft having a hand-wheel or other means by which it may be turned upon its upper end, and upon this shaft is fixed a hub or projecting arm, L, having a pin, which enters the slot .I of the crank-arm H. It will be seen by this construction that when the vertical shaft K is turned it will, through the two connecting crank-arms, act upon the cam, turning it, so as to separate the edges of the gates B sufficient to allow the head of the draw-bar to be withdrawn.

The hand-wheels may be used upon iiat or box cars, and, in addition to this, I have shown a lever, N, fulcrulned upon the end of the car, so as to be within easy reach of the trainman from the side, and this lever may be used in making up trains, so as to enable the train-man t0 couple or uncouple without' going between the cars. The upper end of this lever is connected by a rod, O,with the crankarm P, which is fixed to the vert-ical shank K, and by the use of the lever serves to turn the shaft, and through it the arms by which the cam is actuated, as previously described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isd

l. The vertically-fulcrumed leaves or gates B, iitted within the chamber of the drawhead, and springs by which they are closed, so as to retain the head of the draw-bar, in combination with the double-acting cam fixed upon the vertical shaft between the hinged gates, the vertical shaft K, and the intermediate crank-arms, whereby the camshaft is turned, substantially as herein described.

2. The chambered draw-head having the vertically fulcrumed and spring actuated IOO leaves or gates fitted Within it, the double cam In witness whereof I have hereunto set my fixed to the shaft between the leaves, the hand, shaft; K, havin 0 crank-arms eonneetilw with L 1 similar arm fom Jshe can1-shaft,anl a see- LHARLES A' MCDOUGALL' 5 0nd Crank-arm, P, xed t0 the shaft', K and fitnessesz connected by a rod with a hand-lever, N, sub- S. H. NOURSE, stantially as herein described. H. LEE. 

